


Summer's in the air, and baby,  heaven's in your eyes.

by boltschick2612



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Hockey boyfriends, Ice Cream, M/M, More Fluff, Offseason Shenanigans, Tampa Bay Lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 05:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2012133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boltschick2612/pseuds/boltschick2612
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> And I remember when I met him. It was so clear that he was the only one for me. We both knew right away. </i>
</p><p> </p><p>Val likes to spend lazy summer days on Ben's back porch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer's in the air, and baby,  heaven's in your eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in Tampa, and sometime between when the Lightning were eliminated from the playoffs, and the time when everyone usually leaves to go back home. 
> 
> Title and lyrics in summary taken from Lana Del Rey's 'National Anthem.' 
> 
> No matter how much we might wish this were true, it isn't.

Valtteri had been in Florida nearly a year, yet he still found himself wondering how anyone could actually enjoy the weather, especially during the hot summer months. The early morning hours were filled with a scorching heat, and a blanketing humidity, that would give way to thunderous clouds and pouring rain in the space of moments.

The only part of the daily ritual Val enjoyed, was the hours following the torrential downpour, when the rain had lightened to a drizzle, and the heat was almost bearable. It was in those moments he was convinced there was nothing better than sitting out on the back porch, and listening as the rain hit the roof. He would sit in the padded chaise for hours, with his eyes closed, and the heavy breeze sweeping over his skin.

There may have even been a few occasions where he'd drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by the sound of the sliding glass door, and Ben coming outside to join him.

This time was no different. Through his sleep induced haze, Val heard the rough sounds of the door sliding on it's track, and his eyes flew open. His vision was suddenly filled with the sight of Ben's tall frame hovering over him, with his dark hair mussed, and his eyelids heavy. He looked tired, but that did nothing to diminish the intense blue of his eyes, and their power to leave Val breathless. As a matter of fact, he sometimes found himself thinking Ben looked his best in the fading hours of the day, when they were alone, and all his barriers and self constructed walls were temporarily forgotten. It was then that Val could really see the calm, and welcoming serenity in the depths of Ben's eyes.

Val was almost certain those sparse and precious moments were going to be what he would miss most about Ben when he had to leave to go back to Finland for the rest of the summer. But, he tried not to think about that, or the fact his inevitable departure was only weeks away.

It took Val a good thirty seconds to pull himself from his thoughts, and realize Ben had been talking. He let his eyes slide half closed, heavy with exhaustion, and focused on the sound of Ben's thick voice.

"I'll never figure out how you can fall asleep in this heat."

Val rapidly blinked his eyes, fighting them to focus, and banish the last remnants of sleep. When his vision finally cleared, Val could pick out little details he had missed when Ben first came onto the porch, such as his bare feet, and the flannel pajama pants riding low on his hips. Val didn't know how he could have missed that, or the fact Ben was shirtless, and holding a small, white bowl out in front of him.

"I like it," Val muttered lamely, watching as Ben moved to sit at the end of the chaise. He had just enough room, barely, and had to straddle the lounger in order to face Val. It seemed to take Ben a few seconds to find a comfortable position, and he wasted no time in moving as close to Val as he could. He finally held out the bowl, wordlessly offering Val some of what was inside.

Val cocked an eyebrow, suspicion clear on his face. "Mint ice cream?"

Ben's face lit up with a wide smile, flashing his perfect teeth in an expression that never ceased to make Val's heart skip a beat, despite the many times he had seen it.

"Mint chocolate chip," Ben said, putting extra emphasis on the 'chocolate chip', as if that somehow solved everything, and could convince Val to change his mind.

Before he could stop himself, Val was scrunching up his nose, and silently mouthing the word 'ew.'

Ben's breathy laugh filled the air, and it made Val's pulse race.

"You're such a constant mystery. Sure you don't wanna try some?"

Val didn't say anything, but took the bowl from Ben, and started to play with the spoon a little, mindlessly swirling it around the bottom. He didn't trust himself to look up. Val didn't want to catch Ben's gaze, because he knew the second he did, he'd find himself suddenly wishing he could change all his summer plans, so that he'd never have to leave Ben's side.

Instead, he swallowed hard around the lump forming in his throat, and swirled the spoon around the bowl one last time, before loading the spoon with some ice cream. Val let a sly, sideways smile play on his face as he held the spoon out to Ben, and he cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Ben to take the hint.

"Are you ... seriously trying to feed me? I'm a grown man!"

Val laughed, because of course Ben would balk over his bruised ego. "A grown man that just had wrist surgery. I'm only trying to help."

"Well, I guess if you're not going to have any, I shouldn't let it go to waste," Ben said through a chuckle. He moved forward slightly, and raised his hand to catch Val's wrist. Ben's thumb brushed over the pulse point in Val's wrist, and for a moment, he could have sworn they were suspended in time, the hot summer months no longer existing.

Finally, Ben let the cold spoon slide past his lips, and he let the taste of mint and chocolate dance on his tongue. He was completely wrapped up in the moment, and almost totally oblivious to the ice cream at the corner of his lips, the product of Val's slightly shaky hand as he slid the spoon into Ben's mouth. Ben would have been almost willing to bet Val had missed on purpose. When Val's lips brushed over his, and his tongue darted out to lick the sweet, cold ice cream from his lips, Ben knew it for sure.

Ben didn't want the moment to end, and didn't want Val's lips to ever leave his. When Val pulled back from the kiss, the smile on his face was as perfect as the setting sun.

"I guess that flavor isn't so bad, after all."

All Ben could do was laugh. "See what happens when you try new things?"

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [Tumblr](http://boltschick2612.tumblr.com/) if you want to follow or drop a message. 
> 
> And this really is all my lovely blueabsinthe's fault, because she was all 'I have ice cream', and apparently, that's all it takes to give me ideas.


End file.
